Shot student flies home from Israel

A Manchester University photography student in a coma after being shot in the head by Israeli troops flew into London yesterday.

Thomas Hurndall, 21, had been in the Palestinian territories as an international observer with the pro-Palestine International Solidarity Movement when he was shot by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) six weeks ago.

Mr Hurndall, originally from Camden, north London, was taken to the Royal Free hospital. His condition is still being assessed but his parents hold little hope he will ever recover.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, his father, Anthony Hurndall, said: "We are pleased to have him home finally. He will remain here and we need to hear from the hospital what the best treatment is, but there is very little hope that he will ever recover or awake from the coma. There is very serious brain damage and he is on ventilation support."

The IDF maintains the shooting in the town of Rafah was an accident and its official inquiry into the incident claims soldiers were firing at someone else dressed in a camouflage jacket and carrying a gun.

However, Mr Hurndall called the official IDF report a "fabrication" and disputes it on all accounts. The family spent two weeks I Israel conducting their own inquiries.

"We received no co-operation from the Israeli government. We just want to know the truth," said Mr Hurndall.

"From our own investigations, there was no such man. Tom is six foot and was wearing a bright orange vest that signifies an "international". But either way the IDF knew they were shooting at civilians. Tom was shot trying to help children out of the line of fire. He had helped one, but when he went back for a second he was shot."

The family claims that while in Israel the marked British Embassy vehicles they were travelling in were fired at by Israeli soldiers in the same area in which their son was shot.

Tom's mother, Jocelyn, said: "You don't see IDF people. They're in watchtowers or tanks. You don't know who they are and there is no room for dialogue.

"The essential thing to remember is that how can bullets be found in a location that is different to where the IDF claim they fired shots? There is a wish to cover this up."

The Hurndalls will publish their own inquiry in the next two weeks in the hope it will put pressure on the Israeli and British governments to call an independent inquiry into the shooting.

In the report they claim their son was shot by a senior officer. "What is happening in Gaza and the West Bank needs to be addressed," said Mr Hurndall. "I don't think the Israeli people really understand what is happening and you can only solve a problem if it is understood. We want Tom to be remembered as part of the process of making the situation clear. He went to discover the truth."

The International Solidarity Movement works to highlight what it sees as human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories, and has members from around the world. The Israeli government claims the group is funded by, and shelters, terrorists.